3 reasons why Patrick Baldwin Jr is perfect for the Golden State Warriors

Golden State Warriors</a> have already lost key role players in Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr, and others to free agency. The pair played valuable roles on both ends of the court during the regular season as well as the playoffs.</p> <p>With the loss of these two, Golden State will have to develop the right pieces around their championship core if they want to continue their momentum from the previous season. However, with the addition of Patrick Baldwin Jr, the Warriors should have plenty of young talent to develop over the coming seasons.</p> <h2>3 reasons why Patrick Baldwin Jr is perfect for the Golden State Warriors</h2> <p>A member of the 2022 NBA draft class, Patrick Baldwin Jr was drafted 28th overall by the Warriors. Many fans will remember that this ranking is not where PBJ was sitting as his High School career came to a close, however.</p> <p>In 2021, PBJ was projected to be a <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/07/29/patrick-baldwin-golden-state-warriors/2/"https://fansided.com/2020/08/24/patrick-baldwin-jr-franchise-changer-elite-prospect/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top-10 pick</a> heading into college, where he would play at Milwaukee under his father, Pat Baldwin. Unfortunately, PBJ would sustain a series of ankle injuries during his time at Milwaukee, resulting in only suiting up for 11 games and seeing his draft stock plummet. Thankfully, Golden State has a proven track record of flipping late-round prospects into seasoned- if not All-Star-caliber talent.</p> <p>Here are three reasons why Patrick Baldwin Jr is perfect for the Warriors.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/07/29/patrick-baldwin-golden-state-warriors/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Reason #1 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_447195" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="wp-image-447195 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/07/29/patrick-baldwin-golden-state-warriors/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1355214770.jpeg" alt="Patrick Baldwin Jr, Golden State Warriors" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1355214770.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1355214770-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 18: Patrick Baldwin Jr. #23 of the Milwaukee Panthers drives to the basket against Anthony Duruji #4 of the Florida Gators during the first half of a game at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on November 18, 2021 in Gainesville, Florida, 3 reasons why Patrick Baldwin Jr is perfect for the Golden State Warriors. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>3 reasons why Patrick Baldwin Jr is perfect for the Golden State Warriors: 1. Forward Thinking</h2> <p>Like any other NBA franchise, Golden State is always preparing for the future. It’s no secret that the championship core of Steph, Klay, and Dray won’t be around forever. Luckily, due to a couple of unfortunate seasons, the Warriors have been able to capitalize on <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/07/29/patrick-baldwin-golden-state-warriors/2/"https://basketball.realgm.com/nba/teams/Golden-State-Warriors/9/Lottery-History">lottery picks</a> to add substantial young talent to deepen their existing roster.</p> <p>The most notable rookies set to inherit the future for the dubs include 2020/2021 lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga (F), Moses Moody (G), and James Wiseman (C).</p> <p>On top of that, here is a list of Warriors forwards under 30:</p> <ul> <li>Andrew Wiggins – 27</li> <li>Jonathan Kuminga- 19</li> <li>Gui Santos – 20</li> <li>Patrick Baldwin Jr – 19</li> </ul> <p>Currently, Andrew Wiggins is the most developed Warriors forward that still has several years left to give, as he just played a vital role in winning the 2022 NBA Finals and earned his first <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/07/29/patrick-baldwin-golden-state-warriors/2/"https://www.nba.com/news/andrew-wiggins-all-star-dreams-comes-full-circle-with-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">All-Star nod.</a></p> <p>Although not a current need, a look at the list above highlights the need for future support at the forward positions. At 6’9 with a 7’1 wingspan and being a five-star recruit out of high school, Patrick Baldwin Jr could be an ideal missing piece to this puzzle.</p> <p>With his solid base of fundamentals, tall frame, and raw talent, PBJ should have the resources to develop into the talented player Golden State is envisioning him to be.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/07/29/patrick-baldwin-golden-state-warriors/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Reason #2 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_447194" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="wp-image-447194 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/07/29/patrick-baldwin-golden-state-warriors/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2286,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1355214500.jpeg" alt="Patrick Baldwin Jr, Golden State Warriors" width="3200" height="2286" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1355214500.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1355214500-768x549.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 18: Patrick Baldwin Jr. #23 of the Milwaukee Panthers shoots the ball against Anthony Duruji #4 of the Florida Gators during the first half of a game at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on November 18, 2021 in Gainesville, Florida, 3 reasons why Patrick Baldwin Jr is perfect for the Golden State Warriors. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>3 reasons why Patrick Baldwin Jr is perfect for the Golden State Warriors: 2. Shooting</h2> <p>Despite a troubling stat sheet to represent his college performance, the numbers don’t accurately portray the raw talent he displayed when he was a five-star recruit in high school. Averaging 24.3 points during his Junior High School year, the young forward’s quick and high release is what stood out to scouts.</p> <p>In college, his shooting fell to 34% from the field and 26% from deep. Again, the decrease in production could be attributed to his needed time for recovery, not to mention that he only played a total of 11 games with Milwaukee. Although his overall shooting needs improvement, PBJ has shown that he possesses the proper shot mechanics and positioning to eventually become a mid-level and long-range threat.</p> <p>At the draft combine, PBJ’s 26″ vertical wasn’t anything to write home about. His natural high release, however, is enough to compensate for this little detail, at a nine-foot standing reach enabling him to shoot over most defenders easily.</p> <p>He does demonstrate the ability to create his own shot, specifically in mid-range, and has a promising pull-up shot in particular.  Undoubtedly, being able to glean from his veteran teammates and coaching staff will provide the needed tweaks to his game that should see him transcend from project to asset.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/07/29/patrick-baldwin-golden-state-warriors/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Reason #3 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_446282" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-446282" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/07/29/patrick-baldwin-golden-state-warriors/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1355215725.jpeg" alt="Patrick Baldwin Jr, Golden State Warriors" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1355215725.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1355215725-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 18: Patrick Baldwin Jr. #23 of the Milwaukee Panthers looks on during the second half of a game against the Florida Gators at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on November 18, 2021 in Gainesville, Florida, 3 reasons why Patrick Baldwin Jr is perfect for the Golden State Warriors. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>3 reasons why Patrick Baldwin Jr is perfect for the Golden State Warriors: 3. Low-risk, high-reward</h2> <p>With persistent ankle injuries having tanked his draft stock, in time, this could be seen as a blessing in disguise. Additionally, given that Golden State is coming fresh off a championship win, the young recruit should have the breathing room of not having to produce immediately at a high level.</p> <p>This makes for an ideal situation. PBJ gets the space to develop his skills and strength under an excellent coaching staff as well as future Hall of Famers, while Golden State gets a young forward with plenty of raw talent to potentially grow into a reliable addition to an already-promising young core of talent. Because of this, many scouts consider Patrick Baldwin Jr to be the <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/07/29/patrick-baldwin-golden-state-warriors/2/"https://bluemanhoop.com/2022/06/30/patrick-baldwin-jr-potential-steal-draft/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">steal of the draft.</a></p> <p>For the perfect case study of flipping an injury-prone prospect with raw talent, look no further than Steph Curry. Before Steph became the illustrious superstar we all know, he was a doubted, small guard with back-to-back ankle injuries throughout his rookie years.</p> <p>Although trading him would have been a logical move at the time, the organization had enough faith that they could strengthen his physical form and develop him to become who he is today. On this note, Klay Thompson just won the ESPY for <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/07/29/patrick-baldwin-golden-state-warriors/2/"https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/warriors-klay-thompson-wins-espy-best-comeback-athlete-2022-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Best Comeback Athlete</a> after a couple of years in physical therapy from a pair of serious injuries to his ACL and Achilles tendon.</p> <p>He had this to say when accepting the award:</p> <blockquote><p>“… I would not be here without the Warriors organization. I mean, who pays a guy after tearing his ACL? That’s unheard of,” Thompson said.</p></blockquote> <p>Patrick Baldwin Jr may not have fully proven himself yet, but if history tells us anything, it’s that when Golden State has faith in a player, they will often patiently invest time and effort into realizing their potential.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="3 centers that need to be signed" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2022/07/26/2022-nba-free-agency-centers/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2022/07/29/patrick-baldwin-golden-state-warriors/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2022/07/26/2022-nba-free-agency-centers/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> 3 centers that need to be signed </a> </div> </div><!—pageview_candidate—>">